The 100 Things
by GyakutenSaibanx3
Summary: Shih-na was convicted of being an accessory to Manny Coachen's murder and is immediately sent to death row. Lang, upset that she might die soon, spends his now limited moments with her. But, will they both come to acknowledge their past?
1. Lang Zi Says:

**The 100 Things**

**I don't know about you guys, but Shi-Long Lang and Shih-na's relationship seemed deeper than just professional. This is my take on what happened before and after Shih-na gets arrested for the murder of Manny Coachen.**

**Disclaimer: Capcom owns the Phoenix Wright series—I just write about it.**

Original fan fiction by: Michelle V.

* * *

One. Lang Zi Says:

One to Seven—The Past—Year 2012:

The two men were busy talking in the busy hall of the Interpol Agency. Though the other agents were curious as to what they were talking about, they were afraid of a certain wolf-man in the conversation.

"Lang," said his Interpol superior. He was holding a fat stack of papers.

Shi-Long Lang, wide-eyed and ready for anything, accidentally glared at the man. With his intense stare, he managed to growl, "Sir?"

His superior merely flinched. _Geez, what _is it _with people from Zheng Fa and staring at others?_ Collecting himself, he proceeded. "As a reward for your remarkable arrest rate, Interpol has decided to award you a subordinate."

Lang was almost sent back. He had _never _imagined of having someone _under _him. He looked down, and growled, "Sir, I can't have someone under me. I've never even dreamed of it."

His superior sighed. "Lang," he began, your humbleness doesn't match your appearance. It's almost _too _out of character. You must have the behavior of a _wolf_—the leader of your loyal pack!" He shoved a pile of papers onto Lang. "You're going to need these. They're information on your very first subordinate."

As his superior walked away, Lang shuffled the papers and saw the information on his very first assistant.

She was quite calm looking—she had a natural poker face. Her eyes were a glowing red in a great contrast to her short, white hair.

_She looks really dull…_ Lang thought. _Maybe if she smiled she would look livelier. _He skimmed over all the other details to find her name. He found it: _Shih-na_.

_She's from Zheng Fa too? _He grinned at the idea of them having at least that much in common. He rushed over to the conference room in which they were to meet right that moment. _Maybe this isn't such a bad idea_.

* * *

She sat in the room, waiting for her new superior to come and greet her. Her fingers lightly tapped the armrest. She also had papers on her new boss, and was amused. _At least this time I'm working with a handsome, _younger, _twenty-year-old man_, she said, chuckling a little. She stopped herself. She could not laugh—not like she did. She _was not _Calisto Yew anymore. She was Shih-na, an Interpol Agent… for now, anyway.

As she skimmed through the documents a last time, she looked for three things—his picture, his name, and his age. _Shi-Long Lang. Twenty. He looks like a wolf, but apparently doesn't act like one. Great._

She heard approaching footsteps in the hall and stared at the door. She crossed her legs, and tried to look as serious as humanly possible. _Here he comes_, she thought, _my new pawn_. She let out one last sinister smile.

* * *

Lang opened the steel door, and in it sat a woman in her early twenties. He stared at her long and hard, and she did the same right back.

"Aiya," he said under his breath, "she really _is _from Zheng Fa." He closed the door behind him and sat in the chair opposite the woman. He tried to be friendly since he was so nervous. "Hello."

"…" The woman did not reply. Her stare was like daggers pointing at Lang, but he was already used to it.

"You must know already, but I'm Shi-Long Lang. You must be…" He shuffled his papers to look for his subordinate's name.

She raised a hand to cue him to stop. "Shih-na," she said in a serious, yet soft, voice.

He looked up at her, and smirked. "Right. It's nice to meet you."

Not smiling back, she replied, "It's nice to meet my new boss as well. I hope we can work well together." She continued to stare at him.

A drop of sweat started to fall from Lang's head. "Yeah." _My first subordinate: hard to talk to_, he thought, giving up on conversation and just shuffling through his papers.

Feeling _a little _bad for giving him her new attitude like that, Shih-na said something to pique his interest. "You're Lang, as in the House of Lang in Zheng Fa?"

Lang quickly looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Yes," he said, showing his sharp teeth. "Can I assume from your familiarity that you're from there as well?"

With the _slightest _smile on her face, she said back, "Yeah." Looking down at her papers again, she said, "I'm glad that you're from Zheng Fa. Now I won't have any trouble being your secretary."

Lang gave her a confused look. He slowly said, "Secretary…? I thought you would be my first subordinate."

Still not looking at him, she said, "I am your subordinate, but I think it would be much more profitable to you as my superior if I was your secretary. I assume you don't have one, especially since I'm your first subordinate."

He was caught so off-guard, Lang thought aloud. He uttered, "Aiya, I thought you were _quiet_. Maybe looks can be deceiving, after all."

Shih-na could not help but chuckle. "I'm usually quiet," she said, "But there's something about you that's just different. That's a good thing, by the way."

Lang grinned. "I'm glad to know that you're already comfortable around me."

He extended his hand, and his subordinate shook it in return.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

Lang carried Shih-na to her cell; he had knocked her out cold to stop her constant struggles of being restrained. _Aiya…_ he thought, smiling sadly, _I just lost my best subordinate_. He put her in the cell, still a bare and empty room, and placed her on the hard bed attached to the wall.

He thought about _everything _the two had done together. All the good they had done the world—and here Shih-na was, committing crimes right under his nose. _It doesn't make any sense_, he thought angrily, _it shouldn't have ended like this_. He sat on the floor and sighed.

"What are you sighing for?" Shih-na hissed, not moving from the bed. She was wide awake now. "Ugh, my head hurts. Thanks a lot, stupid agent."

"Shih-na…" Lang said, looking up at her. "You're awake already?"

She snapped. "Tch. My name's not Shih-na." She turned to glare at him. "And your loud sighs can be heard from outside. _Of course I'm awake_."

Lang merely said back, "I'll keep quiet, so go back to sleep."

"You think I can _sleep _in this _showy _dress?" She scoffed. "Do you _see_ how deep this goes in the back? _Of course you do, you helped me pick it out, after all. _My back and my legs are completely exposed to this disgusting metal bed."

Lang bared his teeth. She was getting on his nerves. "You know, you're _really _different than I had originally thought."

She shot back, "You can't think anything of me—you only know one of me."

He raised his voice. "Only one of you? What the hell is even your real name?"

"My real name? Ha—that's easy. My real name is…" She trailed off. "My real name…"

He watched her—she was confused and angry. He softened his voice. "You don't remember your real name?" He raised a hand to touch her white, soft hair.

As he did this, her pale skin turned a soft pink. "G-get your hands off me!" She sat up quickly; but apparently, too quickly. She hit her head on the wall, and slumped back onto the bed, rubbing her dented head in pain and embarrassment. "Don't say anything. You don't need to insult me." She looked up at the ceiling, as she did not want Lang to see her face.

"I'm not going to insult you," he said, getting up to sit on the bed. "No matter who you are, to me, you're still Shih-na. You're still my secretary."

She chuckled. "Pathetic. _Still _smitten with me? Even after what you just witnessed? I'm nothing you thought I was. To tell you the truth, I'm nothing like Shih-na." She placed her head on his lap, and relaxed. "Go any deeper than this and you're going to regret it even more than now."

"I'm not in love with you," Lang denied. "Our relationship was strictly professional."

Shih-na said in a hiss, "Don't even _try _to deny it. You'll piss me off."

Lang growled, "What? You shouldn't even have the right to _talk _right now. What makes you think you can talk _back_ to your superior?"

Shih-na closed her eyes. "Four reasons." She held up her hand weakly. "One, I'm older than you. Two, you're not my superior anymore. Three, I bet if I fall asleep right now, I won't wake up, because I'll be dead. And four… four… four…" She slowly closed her red eyes and nodded off to sleep.

Lang widened his eyes. _Four? What could four be? _He gently shook her. "Shih-na, wake up. You didn't finish what you were saying." Then, he tried blowing in her face. He even resorted to slapping her soft face a little. After many failed attempts at trying to waken her, he just let her sleep on his lap. He tried to unwind, but he suddenly got tense.

He had ignored the pain, but now he could feel the throbbing of his leg again. _Don't start bleeding again_, he thought angrily, _I don't want to leave _just _to get treated again._ He forced himself to doze off, to ignore the pain again, if just for a minute or so.

* * *

Yay! My third story!

I don't know why, but I got nervous posting this up.

Maybe it's because I know updates will be slow?

And apologies if you think it's boring... I can't write about sad things well.

Another thing: I don't know if I should make the ending good or bad.

Help me decide!

Well, review please, and tell me what you think about this work in progress.


	2. Who Cares About Lang Zi?

Here's chapter 2! :]

Thanks to all the people who reviewed for the first chapter, by the way.

Reading this chapter depressed me.

Maybe it's because I already know what's going to happen?

Hmm...

Anyway, enjoy and please review :3

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

Shih-na woke up with a sneeze. Something was tickling her nose. _What the—_, she thought, pushing whatever it was away from her nose. It was her feather boa. She sat up.

She was alone. But, she wasn't cold. Shih-na finally realized that she was wearing Lang's jacket. She made a disgusted look and quickly took it off. _Stupid Lang_, she thought to herself, _I don't need your help_. But, too bad for her, it was really cold as her arms were exposed to the humid temperature of the cell. She groaned. "Stupid. Stupid. COMPLETELY STUPID," she grumbled, putting the warm jacket back on.

She lied back down and slept on her side, her face buried in a sleeve. Breathing in, she smelled a familiar scent. _This scent… It's Lang. _She started to reminisce about the _only _thing she actually enjoyed doing—and that was working with Lang. All the excitement, all the suspense, it was never that fun in the courtroom. _Never. _She relaxed and fell asleep with the slightest smile on her face.

* * *

Thirteen to Sixteen—The Past—Year 2012:

I heard the sounds of footsteps and Lang's second subordinate.

"Shifu! I have apprehended the suspect!"

Then, I heard the sound of his voice.

"Good job."

Next, it was the sound of the criminal's voice.

"Why are you even trying to arrest me? What have I done?"

He let out a laugh, letting his fangs show.

"Well, you tried to run when I clearly yelled 'freeze'. And you're a suspect in this case."

I stay silent, waiting for my boss's next order.

"This is wrong! You _can't _do this!"

He stays still, a cue for me to stand in front of him. Simultaneously, we take off our glasses—we rehearsed for it for many hours. After that, I back away again, waiting.

"I can. See, you wronged the law. And…"

He extends his hand—he's waiting for a scroll. I walk up and give him the one containing an appropriate saying.

"Lang Zi says…"

I'm not paying attention to what hesays. Rather, I'm wondering _why _I actually put effort into doing this job. Eventually, I will leave Lang, and the Interpol Agency, and move on, forever a puppet of the smuggling ring.

I am so deep in thought I didn't see him walk up to me. His second subordinate is with him, as well.

"Shih-na," hesays, "I would like you to address this second subordinate as MiB—he is my third-in-command from now on."

I look at him—I was confused, but did not dare show it. "… Third? What happened to second?"

Helaughs—is it at me, or with me? "Shih-na," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder, "_you're _second-in-command."

Off guard, I accidentally show hima surprised look.

MiB laughs, "Ms. Shih-na, you did not know that? Why else would he make you his trusted secretary?"

_Trusted…? _I don't answer either of them, and MiB walks away, getting our transportation to the Agency ready. However, I'm still stuck on that word. _Trusted. _He's a fool if he trusts me; I work for the smuggling ring. Even though I'm not loyal to it, it doesn't mean I'm loyal to this wolf-boy either.

Hepats me on the head, smirking. "You know, apprehending suspects is much more exciting when doing it with others." Walking toward the car we came in, he adds, "And you look really vulnerable when you space out like that. Keep that in mind."

I turn a little pink out of frustration, but not just that. There's a hidden emotion I can't put my finger on. It begins with an "L"… Laziness? … Maybe not.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

A guard softly clatters on Shih-na's cell bars with the keys, whistling a tune out of ennui. "Ah, I never thought being a police officer would mean watching women sleep…" he said, turning to see Shih-na glaring daggers at him. He yelped.

Still trying to stay in character, she tried to scare him so much he'd run away, but utterly failed—her stomach growled. Clinging to her remaining shards of pride, she asked, "… What am I going to eat?"

The officer gulped. "Ah, Ms. Shih-na…" he started, looking from side to side frantically, "Mr. Lang has actually requested to bring you food for today—after all, you'll only be spending today here."

She sat up, confused. "What do you mean only today…? Where am I going after this?"

"Oh, no. Me and my big mouth… Mr. Lang's going to chew me out." The guard turned away, and gave her the bad news: "Well, you're going to have a quick trial to officially confirm your guilt of your crime… Then, you'll be put on death row."

Shih-na did not say anything back. _… Are you serious? I'm going to be put on death row that _quickly_…?_ Nothing could escape her throat, and her hands trembled.

"Ah, you see, you seem to be a special case," he said, looking at something other than her, "you're being bumped up a few months since you've got a whoooole list of crimes of pay for."

She sat back, and curled herself into a ball on her bed. She turned away from the guard and uttered, "… Just tell me when my food gets here." The guard turned away just in time to miss Shih-na shudder. _Why am I like this? I knew this day would come... Why am I so afraid now? I have nothing to lose, right?_

* * *

Lang stepped out of MiB's car and held a three-meal lunchbox in his hand.

"Shifu…" MiB said, looking very worried behind his sunglasses, "are you not cold? You don't have your jacket with you."

He just remembered—he had put it on Shih-na. _That's right… _he thought, looking at his black, thin long-sleeve shirt, _she was shivering when she was sleeping, so I… _

"Shifu!" MiB said in a concerned tone. His other subordinates came flooding to him from other vehicles and they anxiously asked him what was the matter.

Lang knew he couldn't worry his whole pack, so he confidently looked at them, and roared, "Nothing's wrong, you hear me?"

His 99 subordinates and MiB all sighed in relief. "Shifu's back to normal," MiB said gladly.

"Now, this might be the last time I'll get to visit Shih-na, so I don't want _any _of you to follow me," Lang ordered, and his pack softened. They started jumping to conclusions.

"Shifu…" one subordinate said.

Another continued, "Do you…"

Lastly, yet another asked, "Do you _like _Shih-na?"

A drop of sweat fell from his head. He turned pink. "AIYA!" He yelled. "Where the—where did you get such an idea?"

MiB shamefully raised his hand. "Shifu, I'm sorry," he said with an agonizing look on his face, "I've been gossiping to everyone here!"

Lang facepalmed, and glared at all of them. "I want to make this _clear,_" he started, "Shih-na and I had a _professional _relationship. Nothing happened between us, ever." He stormed off into the building, to Shih-na's cell.

As he got farther and farther away from his subordinates, his steps softened—he did not want Shih-na knowing he was coming. _Her sentence to death row was too swift_, Lang thought, tightening his clutch on the lunchbox. _Hopefully, this is going to be a _good _surprise for her._ He was referring to the food, of course.

He was down the hall from her cell, and his heart started pounding. _Calm down, Lang, _he tried to coax himself, _she _hates _you. She's not going to do anything. _He took a breath in, and almost took a step. He stopped.

He heard someone sniffling.

"Ms. Shih-na…"

Lang immediately rushed into her open cell, concerned. "Shih-na?" He dropped the lunchbox and shoved the guard away from her bed.

Shih-na looked up at him, looking very irritated. She sniffled again. "_What?_" She was a bit sick.

"Oh." Lang scratched his head, a little embarrassed. _I thought you were crying_, he thought and he slowly got down to pick up the lunchbox.

Shih-na was quiet… until her stomach growled again. She tried to make it stop by putting her hand on it; it didn't work.

Lang looked up at her and laughed. "Are you _that _hungry?" He smirked at her and handed her the lunchbox. Seeing as he was a third wheel, the guard left in a hurry.

She reluctantly took the lunchbox—her stomach was practically in an uproar. She opened it and smelled the heavenly scent of Lang's own homemade cooking.

She gave him a glare and a frown to match, which meant that she was grateful he had brought her food. She grabbed the fork and started to wolf it down.

He just watched her. He was already happy knowing she was enjoying the food. He then noticed that she was still wearing her sweater. He was expecting to get it back, but he would be glad to lend it to his one and only secretary.

_This food is delicious… Not that I'd admit that_, Shih-na thought, now finished with the first meal. She closed the Tupperware and sat up. She sniffled. She looked up at Lang, and he smiled.

"Did you like it?" he asked.

She scowled. "I was hungry. I would've eaten something else if there was anything. _Anything._"

Lang's smile disappeared. "Aiya," he muttered, focusing his gaze on how his jacket looked big on Shih-na.

She was glaring at him, but he didn't seem to notice. She realized she was still wearing his jacket—which was very warm—and she quickly took it off and threw it at his face. "You know," she snarled, "you could've just asked for it back instead of staring at me!"

He pulled the jacket off his face and put it on. "Look, Shih-na…" he started.

"Do I have to say it again?" She quickly turned her head toward the wall. "Shih-na isn't my real name," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

Lang took a seat on the floor. "And, have you remembered your _real _name?" he asked, focusing only on Shih-na.

She grimaced. "No, okay?" She didn't _dare _turn her head. "It's not like it matters."

Lang stared at the back of her head. "Don't feel too bad…" he said, trying to console her.

Still not turning, she yelled at him. "How bad would _you _feel if you forgot your _own _name?"

Lang pondered on this. _If I forgot my own family name… _he thought anxiously, _I think I would arrest _myself_! _

As Shih-na watched Lang give off hysteric expressions from her question, she groaned. "You don't get it," she said angrily, "so stop trying to butt your face in my business!" She sniffled in anger.

Lang's expression turned into one of concern. "Shih-na, I'm just trying—"

"I know what you're doing," she said. She hid her face from him. "I know I'm going to be dead soon."

Lang remained speechless. He couldn't say "you're wrong"—she was right. But, he didn't want to admit that that was the reason he was there.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she asked, turning to him.

Lang tried to hold her shoulder, but she brushed him off. "How long?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Lang said, unsure of her question.

"After the trial," she said, piercing his heart with her gaze, "how long do I have?"

Lang hesitated. He couldn't _possibly _tell her that. The time she had left would surely devastate her. "I… I don't know."

Shih-na scoffed. "Don't give me that lie."

He took in a deep breath. "I don't think you would want to hear it."

"I'll be fine. Just tell me," she urged.

He looked straight into her eyes, and replied, "11 months. Normally, it would be _years_ until it was supposed to happen, but…"

She froze. When she finally started moving again, her hands were shaking uncontrollably. "W-what's wrong with me?" She cried.

Lang was greatly concerned now. "Shih-na, it's a normal reaction—"

"No it's not!" she countered. "I _knew _what I was getting into when I joined the ring. They told us, 'Be ready to throw your life away for the sake of money.' I was fully prepared to die… but why am I so _scared _now?"


	3. He Says to Change for the Better

I'm very sorry for this late update!

I had writer's block...

Which is a _lame _excuse, I know.

And I've been working on more fanfics. :]

So, I'll try to update this and my other story as soon a possible.

Enjoy! And please review (x

* * *

Nine—The Past—Year 2012:

I stood there patiently as I listened for any sign of disapproval from my secretary. I stood there for a good hour and a half in those stiff, new clothes, until she and the tailor finally emerged from behind the curtain.

At first, I didn't want to look at her, in case she was giving me an angry look. So, of course, I turned to the tailor. "So…" I asked slowly, trying to keep my eyes glued on her, "how was it?"

The tailor smiled. "Perfect. She was a real angel—didn't struggle at all."

I blinked. "Really?" I didn't mean for there to be, but my voice had a bit of disbelief in it.

"Why don't you ask her yourself? She _is _right there."

I gulped. _What if Shih-na was mad at me?_ I thought, slowly looking up at her face.

I didn't realize it, but I froze. And my heart skipped at beat—but just one.

She didn't say anything, but only showed me a kind of worried emotion that seemed to be asking me, "It looks bad, doesn't it?"

I laughed, and fixed the sleeves on my new jacket. "You look _great_, Shih-na! Relax," I said, trying to assure her it was the truth.

She stared at me with wide-eyes—a first—and she strolled over to the mirror grazing her fingers over her bare shoulders.

I knew she felt strange there, and I looked at my clothes for an idea of what she could wear. And then, I saw it—the feather boa that was attached to my jacket. I called the tailor over.

"Yes?" she asked with her sewing kit in hand.

I gestured over to Shih-na, and murmured, "Can you get Shih-na one of these?"

She nodded, and went to the back of her store to look for one.

Then, Shih-na walked over to me. I saw that she seemed to like the outfit, but she was holding her shoulders. "… I need…"

"Here we are!" the tailor cheered, holding up a black feather boa.

"Perfect," I said, and I wrapped it around the back of her neck. All she did was watch me with those crimson eyes of hers.

She put her arms down.

"It is good?" I asked watching her rarely-changing facial expressions.

She half-smiled and nodded.

After that close attempt at a smile, I couldn't help but ruffle her hair a little.

She tried to fight it, but I could see a little pout coming onto her face and I saw her shining eyes even from behind her bangs.

And that's when I remembered.

"Oh here, these are for you," I said, pulling my present to her out.

She stayed quiet.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

Lang sat silently in Shih-na's cell. She had tired herself out when she panicked—she was going to die in a year. He stared at her slender body and couldn't help but bare his teeth. He _knew _she could change, but no one else did. To society, she was someone everyone was better off with.

Shih-na mumbled in her sleep, not that Lang could understand any of it.

Lang checked his watch—it was close to 2 pm. He slowly got up and shuffled his feet over to the front of the cell. "Guard," he called, "come here so you can let me out."

The guard scrambled to the cell and tried to open it with his shaky hands. "I-is Ms. Shih-na asleep? If she e-escapes, I-I—"

Lang put his hand up. "She's not that bad, you know." He glared at the pitifully idiotic guard to get his point through.

"Not that bad?" the guard cried. "Please excuse my discourtesy, but _she killed someone—and she was in the smuggling ring!_"

Lang grabbed the keys angrily from the guard. "Don't talk about my secretary like that."

The guard yelped, and ran away quickly, even tripping on his shoes more than once.

Lang started to grumble and even growl as he fiddled to find the correct key. _If people had spent enough time with her like I did, they would all think twice. _He finally managed to find the right key and slid the cell door just enough so he could get through. As he closed the door, he looked at Shih-na; a wave of gloom and guilt washed over him. "I'm sorry," he said under his breath, "but even _you _don't want me here."

He slowly closed the door and quietly walked out of the jailhouse.

But what he didn't know was that Shih-na had awoken from the ruckus Lang and the guard had caused. She knew of Lang's departure, and she picked up on the depressed tone in his voice. For some reason unknown to her, she bit her lip.

* * *

Ten—The Past—Year 2012:

"… What are they…?" she asked, staring at the thing in his hand.

Lang laughed. "They're glasses. Try them on. I saw them, and thought they'd look great on you, so I got them."

Shih-na hesitantly looked from her boss to her present and slowly took hold of the sunglasses. She put them on, and looked into the mirror almost dramatically. She didn't say anything—all she did was stare at her boss's reflection in the mirror.

Of course, her boss could not see her eyes through the darkness covering her eyes, so all he did was stare at her reflection.

Shih-na did not move. She opened her mouth, but she could only _think _the words _they're nice, thank you_. Instead, she closed her mouth again and continued to stare.

"So," Lang said, getting a tad worried, "do you like them? Or… should I just get rid of them?" He ran his fingers tensely through his hair.

She opened her mouth, and quietly, almost silently said, "I like them."

He smiled. _Thank goodness_, he thought. "Aiya, you worried me there for a second," he smiled, and he turned to the tailor. "So, how much will these be?"

Lang walked over to the cash register with the tailor, and Shih-na watched silently. Her eyes followed every movement of her boss, and she noticed that she did not take her eyes of him once. She looked into the mirror, and scowled. _You can't do this_, she thought angrily, _this won't last forever_.

"Shih-na," Lang called, "let's go."

Shih-na stiffly walked out of the store, her thoughts still lingering on her newfound attachment.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

Lang walked out of the jailhouse, and MiB was sitting lazily in his car. When he saw Lang, however, he sprung out and quickly asked, "Shifu, how was it?"

He sighed. "It was terrible." They walked over to MiB's car together.

"Care to give me the details, Shifu?" MiB said caringly. They got in the car.

Lang looked at his subordinate with unusually soft eyes. But, he quickly turned away and growled. "No. There's nothing to talk about."

The two drove off back to the agency, and Lang could not help but feel emptiness in the car's backseat. He just _knew _that someone important was missing.

* * *

Shih-na sat up, relieved of having to pretend to be sleeping. She stared at the lunchbox sitting in the bare corner of her cell and got up to bring it over to her bed.

Curious, she opened up the other two meals prepared for her. They were delicacies of Zheng Fa.

She grimaced, finally realizing that Lang probably knew she missed eating his cooking. _If he didn't know_, she thought, _he probably would've just bought me some burgers._

She shook her head, repulsed by the fact that all she could think about was her former boss. She scowled and shoved the meals back into the little lunchbox and put it on the cold floor. Not knowing what to do, she lied back down, and forced herself to sleep.

It had not been more than an hour later that a female officer roughly woke her up. "Rise and shine," she said, pulling her up. "You going to shower or not?"

Shih-na looked from the officer to her clothes, and the officer groaned. "You want us to wash that?"

She nodded.

"Hey! Get me a uniform for Cell Two!" the officer bellowed, and after a moment the clumsy guard from before brought over a striped shirt with matching pants. She handed them to Shih-na. "You're going to wear these until your load's done," she instructed.

Shih-na frowned. _This uniform is the most hideous thing I have had to wear in my whole life. _Looking up at the officer, she nodded again, but more hesitantly this time.

* * *

As she awkwardly walked through the depressing, barren halls of the jailhouse, many people seemed to glare at her, and more than few stared.

"I heard she was almost sent to Solitary Confinement."

"What do you think she did?"

"Maybe she has stacked charges?"

"Her? Oh, _come on_, she looks harmless. Useless, even."

Shih-na bit her tongue, and kept walking, listening to the sinister howls and cackles of the psychotic inmates she would never have to meet. _Calm down, _she tried coaxing herself, _these idiots will get what's coming to them… But I will too. _She shuddered as a deranged old man followed her legs with his eyes as she walked faster.

Then, she turned to see a man, humming a tune, stupidly wearing broken sunglasses and looking out the window. _That's right… sunglasses_, she thought.

Eleven—The Past—Year 2012:

She marched into Lang's office, her hair and facial expressions rarely moving. To most, she seemed proud—maybe even completely confident. But that was completely off-base; she was nervous out of her mind. As she swung his door wide open, producing a loud noise, many people turned their heads—including Lang.

"Shih-na," he said curiously, getting up out of his comfortable seat, "what brings you here?"

She was wearing the sunglasses Lang had presented to her, and behind the dark lens, her eyes widened. Clashing against her pale skin, a shade of pink crept onto her face, and the words she had tried to say left her as she swallowed. _Damn, why did I do this now? _

She cleared her dry throat. She mouthed words that chose not to come out, and extended her arm, revealing the little case she held in her right hand. "For these." She gestured at her sunglasses, hoping he could not see her staring at his _every movement_.

"For… the glasses?" he asked curiously. He got up, and took the case from her. As he opened it, his mouth curved into a grin. "Aiya," he murmured happily. He pulled out the contents of the case and examined them. "You didn't have to do this," Lang said, happily admiring his new sunglasses.

Nervously, Shih-na continued to stare, not uttering a word.

Lang looked at her strangely for a while, but then laughed. "Shih-na," he started—he pulled the sunglasses away from his face showed her his soft eyes. "As your boss, I'd want the best for you; don't sweat it."

He stalked over to his desk, picked up a file, and put his new glasses on. He looked up at her, his fangs completely visible. "Shih-na, we've got a suspect to arrest."

She nodded, and even grinned a little. As they walked out of the agency, everyone couldn't help but stare at the two of them, side-by-side, the perfect duo.

_Strange_, Shih-na thought, _I feel the most secure here—the most dangerous place for a smuggler to be at._ But then, she looked up at her boss and his wolfish grin. And then she knew the reason for her security.


	4. Too Late For Me Now

Hey there :] Here's chapter 4!

Sorry about updating later and later - but I'm finally on break so I can write nonstop!

This chapter is... meh. It's an okay chapter.

I'm currently working on chapter 5, so expect another update in the next few days!

And I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been reviewing! You make writing more enjoyable :]

So, enjoy and please review!

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

Shih-na walked with a sense of lost pride since the only place she _could _wander around was her little cell. She sighed, and even groaned a little. Then, she heard footsteps approach. She walked over to the barred door and tried to stick her head out as far as possible to see the company she had received.

But, she scowled—it wasn't who she was expecting at all; it was a guard. The stupid one from the day before, even.

She growled before he walked by her to open her cell. "Ms. Shih-na," he said timidly, not even _attempting _to make eye contact with her piercing stare, "Mr. Lang will be accompanying you to the courthouse."

She nodded. _So, wolf-boy's bringing me_, she thought, sighing. She knew they would be merciless and pull out every single crime she had committed, all the way down to her littering before. She got out of the cell and hung her head low, as to not see the disgusting inhabitants of the other cells.

As she reached the lobby of the jailhouse, she saw Lang sitting like a depressed little boy all alone in the corner of the room. She sighed. _Is he _really _going to act like this?_ she thought, a little annoyed by it. She walked up to him, her heels _clack_ing loudly with every small step she took.

Lang looked up at the sound of her heels, but did not smile as she walked up to him. In fact, he sighed.

_What's wrong with him?_ she thought, _Stupid kid needs to keep his emotions in check._ As she stood in front of him, she took the initiative to start complaining immediately. "Are _you _taking me to court? Why are you being nice?" She looked around. "I would've rather been taken by a police officer than you. You're making this extremely awkward, you know—"

Lang looked up at her, but did not say a word.

_He should be saying, 'Aiya, you're talking too much. You act differently than you look you know'…_ she thought angrily. "Why are you being so quiet?" She said, raising her voice; she didn't care that all the other people in the lobby were staring at her. _Why am I acting so angry all of a sudden? This isn't like me_, she thought, but she couldn't afford to back down now.

He didn't respond, but winced. He then gave a bitter laugh.

Shih-na turned a little pink. She lowered her voice and asked, "W-what?"

"I'm sorry if I'm angering you, but I'm having a hard time moving. The wound in my leg has yet to heal." He cringed, but tried laughing it off.

Shih-na slammed her fist onto a nearby table. "W-what's your problem?" she yelled, a very heavy kind of guilt washing over her. "I never asked for you to save me, dammit! If you were smarter, you wouldn't have done it…" She balled her fists. _It's just like last time,_ she thought. _That is, except for the fact he got shot this time…_

* * *

Thirty-Seven to Forty-One—The Past—Year 2017:

_Aiya_, thought Lang. His mind could barely process anything—actually, it could only process _one thing_; Shih-na was being held at gunpoint.

All of Lang's subordinates' guns were trained on the very tense suspect. He was sweating bullets and the hand holding the gun was shaking uncontrollably. "D-don't you dare make a move," he said uncomfortably, "or I'll shoot her!"

He was practically choking Shih-na with his burly arm, which was held tightly against her throat. She said nothing, and only acted indifferent. She was the only calm one in the situation.

Lang tried to take a step forward. But the suspect fired a shot into the air. "D-don't move! Or I _will _shoot the girl!" His hand was still trembling.

_Damn_, Lang thought, baring his fangs at the suspect. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone of voice getting more and more hostile.

"Y-you don't have to d-do anything! J-just let me go, and I'll let her go…" the suspect trailed off, as if thinking of something else.

Lang took this opportunity to inch closer to him and Shih-na. Lang threw a glare MiB's way, which was the signal for a maneuver they had practiced numerous times beforehand.

Lang snapped, and MiB charged against the suspect. "G-gah!" the suspect cried, and he immediately let go of her.

Shih-na took this opportunity to get a few feet away from her offender. She was so close to Lang, when she looked up at him and saw his face a bit shocked. _What's wrong with him? _she thought, not daring to turn around again.

The suspect ripped open his jacket and revealed a bomb. He jumped back, and quickly pointed the gun to Shih-na's head. He was about 10 feet away from her now. "I'm not afraid to ignite this," he said, the detonator in his now free hand.

"So you _are _the suicide bomber…" Lang growled, a malicious glare sent the suspect's way.

"That's right," he said, his gun still pointed to Shih-na. "Now, are you going to cooperate with this criminal?"

Lang roared. "What are you talking about? If anything, you are the criminal!" Lang pulled up his gun at the suspect and so did his subordinates.

Shih-na froze. _He knows_, she thought morbidly. _He must be from one of those smaller smuggling rings… They're getting rid of the gofer spying on Interpol…!_ A drop of sweat fell from her head. Her eyes darted to Lang. They showed a certain emotion. Something that barely happened. They showed fear.

Lang's eyes widened, and then narrowed. He knew what had to be done—he had to save her.

A dozen of Lang's subordinates screeched, and out of reflex, the suspect shot in their direction. During this time of distraction, Lang darted to Shih-na. Just then, the suspect turned back around and shot a bullet. Lang jumped and pushed Shih-na out of harm's way.

The subordinates that were shot at had bulletproof jackets on, and they charged at him again, and quickly apprehended him. They lifted him away as Lang sat on the cold, concrete floor with Shih-na.

She shivered, and was staring at nothing. "Shih-na," Lang said, his voice getting soft, "are you okay?"

She didn't respond, and her eyes still showed the fear that inhabited them. She tried opening her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She grimaced, and lowered her head. _Why_, she thought, _I shouldn't be afraid. Lang would have saved me. I _know _he would have. So why am I still doubting him?_

Lang sat closer to her, and lifted her head. He caught her eye, and he did not look away. "It's okay," Lang assured, talking gently. "Believe me, I would have saved you, _even if _the bullet would hit me."

Shih-na did not say anything, and lowered her head again.

Lang did not say anything; rather, he wrapped his arms around her shivering body. "I'm right here," he murmured. "And I'm not leaving."

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

The really bad thing about that day was that the only time available for the trail was early in the morning, and the jailhouse was distant from the courthouse itself. So, Shih-na had been woken up at four in the morning, and she didn't get much sleep the night before. As she boarded the armored car, she could not help but let a yawn escape.

Of course, this did not escape the attention of Lang, who quickly asked, "Would you like to sleep on the way?" He even removed his jacket once again for her to use as a sort of pillow.

Shih-na ignored the question; she was about to say yes, but she knew better than to let Lang think that she even had a _remote _affection for him. Instead, she sat as _far away _as possible from him, and scrunched up near the window, as to try to avoid him for the entire car ride.

Lang, in response, sighed and sat on the other far end, as to not anger her. He knew that if he wanted to patch things up, he would need to stay on her good side—if she even had a good side.

The car roared as it started, and the air in it was freezing cold. Shih-na vigorously rubbed her arms to try and keep warm, but it just did _not_ work. She groaned a little, getting embarrassed.

And, before she could say anything, Lang quickly placed his jacket over her shoulders. Then, he retreated to the other side of the car. Staring straight at Shih-na, he said, "It'll keep you warm, so just keep it on. I _know _you don't want to have anything to do with me, but let's just take this as the last nice thing I might _ever _do for you." He turned away just in time to not see Shih-na's broken expression.

She didn't say anything, and the only thing making noise was the rustling of Lang's jacket against her pale skin. She buried her face in a sleeve, and inhaled deeply. Soon, she was fast asleep.

Lang slowly turned to Shih-na and moved a bit closer to her. When he was sitting _right _beside her, he waved his hand in front of her face to see if that would trigger any kind of reaction. When nothing happened, he sighed. _Really_, he thought sullenly, _you're _nothing _like I expected_. He gently moved her head and placed it against his shoulder. "But," he murmured, "That doesn't mean I feel any different." As his eyelids got heavy, he placed his head on top of Shih-na's, and they both slept in peace.

What Lang didn't know was that MiB had been watching them with a little surveillance camera her set up just in case Shih-na went berserk. He gulped, and started to contact all the other subordinates on his phone to gossip about the new unraveling of facts. As he started to message all the other subordinates, he murmured, "I can't believe Shifu would _lie _like this…"

* * *

Seventy-Nine and Eighty—The Past—Year 2017:

They all came so suddenly, I couldn't realize what was going on. I was just sitting in Lang's office doing my paperwork when all of his subordinates stormed his office. As they barged in, they looked where I was sitting—near the entrance—to Lang, who was practically across the room. Most of them had very angry looks on their faces.

"Shifu," MiB addressed anxiously. Surprisingly, he looked tense.

Lang stood up, just as confused as I was. "What is it?" he asked.

MiB looked down, his uneasiness evident even through the glasses he always wore. "We… we have to ask you a very important question." All the subordinates looked at either Lang or me and they murmured inaudible things.

"What is it?" Lang asked, getting a little suspicious. I was too.

MiB gulped. "Shifu… do you have any kind of affection for Shih-na?"

At this, Lang and I both flinched. _This _was not supposed to be known to the others yet—we didn't even plan on telling them. It wasn't their business, anyway. I gulped, hoping Lang wouldn't say anything stupid.

Lang looked at me for a split-second, and in that split-second, there was one emotion in that glance—pride. Lang smirked, then arrogantly said, "What are you talking about? Why would you get an idea like that?"

Luckily, I was wearing my glasses, so no one could see my eyes widen. And then, I realized it—Lang's pride and reputation were more important to him than I was. And then, I realized my mistake in trusting a guy like him. I should've known that when you trust someone, they would stab your back sooner or later; but I thought _I_ was going to be the one to do the backstabbing.

The subordinates all looked at me with confused looks. "Shifu… excuse my rudeness, but… you seem to be spending _a lot _more time together." All the subordinates agreed with him.

But, Lang did something I thought he wouldn't do—he laughed. "Aiya, _are you serious_?" he said as let his fangs show. "Why would I have any affection for Shih-na? Our relationship is really _only _professional."

At this assurance, all the subordinates and MiB sighed, apologized for the intrusion, and left the two of us alone. After we were alone again, Lang banged his head on his desk. I looked at him in surprise.

"Shih-na…" he said angrily, "I'm sorry, but I just can't tell them _yet_… It's just that—"

I bit my lip and turned away from him. "It's fine. Really." I lied. "I understand."

I didn't see, but I knew Lang was staring straight at me. "Are you sure? You have to believe that what I told them is a complete lie…"

"I'm sure," I lied again. "Really."

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

As the car reached the courthouse, it was already 5:30, so right when the car stopped, Lang peeled his eyes open. He stretched out and gently shook Shih-na. "Shih-na, we're at the courthouse already. You need to get up," he said, still shaking her.

"Mm," she replied, opening one eye. She looked _exhausted_. "What? Are we here already?" she crankily asked. She pushed Lang out of the car and got out to stretch. Then, realizing she was still wearing his jacket, she quickly pulled it off despite the freezing weather and threw it at Lang's face.

"What's wrong?" Lang asked sounding a bit surprised.

Shih-na just replied, "Tch!" and started to walk into the courthouse.

Lang followed slowly behind her as he watched her rubbing her cold arms out of irritation. He quickly caught up with her and held her by the arm.

"What?" Shih-na snapped, still rubbing her arms.

Lang sighed, and replied, "I'm going to have to _escort you _to court, remember?"

Shih-na stayed quiet as Lang spoke with the only guard at the entrance of a courtroom. Lang spoke first, asking, "Is this the room that will be used for Shih-na's case?"

The guard silently nodded, and opened the door for the two.

In the courtroom there was nobody. The room was still and silent. Lang brought Shih-na to the witness stand, and they stood there, alone, in the tortuously quiet courtroom.


	5. It's Not Too Late

I am so sorry to anyone who has been waiting for this next chapter, if anyone was still waiting for me to update ;_;

It's been a few months already, and my passion for writing has emerged again.

The writing might be a little rusty and awkward, so just bear with me!

Also, I have a question for anyone reading this.

Out of curiosity, how many people think Shih-na is going to die in the end of this story? I'm not sure how I'm going to end this story yet, and I'd like to know what you all think And would you be happy if Shih-na died in the end? Well, maybe I should say instead… 'Would you be satisfied with the story if she died in the end? Or would you be happier if something else happened to her?' I'd love your feedback. Anyways, enjoy =]

* * *

Seventeen and Eighteen—The Past—Year 2012:

"Shih-na, is there anything you can say you despise?" Lang asked as they sat in a small coffee shop. They had just arrested a suspect in the smuggling ring.

She paused, and thought about this. She replied, "There's nothing in particular."

Lang laughed, and said, Ah, that's good." He leaned back, and took in a deep breath. "Actually, there's something I loathe very much."

Shih-na leaned in a little, curious as to what her superior could hate.

"I really hate prosecutors."

She just stared at him, and he laughed again. "The reason I bring it up is because that person we apprehended who was in the smuggling ring… he was a prosecutor."

Shih-na nodded her head.

Lang exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry, you probably hate having to listen to me complain." He took a sip of his coffee.

"Actually…" Shin-na calmly said, not showing any expression.

Lang raised an eyebrow and shifted his full attention to his secretary.

_Why am I going to lie_, Shih-na thought, _for the sake of this man's feelings…?_ "I… I also dislike prosecutors."

Lang's eyes widened. "Aiya, that's such a coincidence," he muttered, leaning in closer to find out the reason why.

When Lang did not say anything else, Shih-na continued. "I guess… I don't like them because they're not very honest with their work." She looked down impassively at the table in front of her as her boss continued to stare at her with unending curiosity.

Lang took a gulp of his coffee, and replied, "They are also very corrupt." He scowled as he put down his coffee. "They are the reason the House of Lang's name is tarnished."

Shih-na nodded as she silently drank her coffee.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

The judge took sat down comfortably and said, "So, I'm supposing you're going to plead 'not guilty', Ms. Shih-na?"

"Actually, I'm going to plead 'guilty'," Shih-na responded.

Lang widened his eyes. "Shih-na…?"

She took in a breath. She pulled off her right glove slowly, revealing a pale hand, with a beautiful bronze bangle wrapped around her wrist. She flinched as she saw this, and quickly put her arm down to try and forget about it.

Everyone else ignored this sudden reaction from her, but Lang noticed it. And he seemed to flinch, too.

* * *

Forty-Eight and Forty-Nine—The Past—Year 2016:

"Thanks for accepting my invitation to eat out," Lang said as he strolled down the street with Shih-na.

She looked up at him with her shiny crimson eyes as she replied, "What's the occasion, Lang?" She pulled down the sleeves of her coat and tried to warm her chilly hands.

Lang looked away from her, and with his face getting warmer, he said back, "No occasion, really… We just don't get a lot of days to just relax, right?" He smirked, but he was looking forward and not at her.

_True… _Shih-na thought, still a little suspicious of the out-of-the-blue call. She nodded her head.

They were quiet while the street bustled with the endless chatter of people and the honking and beeping of cars around them.

Suddenly, Lang stopped walking, and Shih-na slowed her steps too, wondering why he just stopped all of a sudden.

"Actually," he said, his face a little red, "This is the real reason I wanted to take you to eat out today." Digging through his pocket, he finally found a bronze bracelet with and intricate design carved into it, and held it in his hand.

"I found this while I was going through my old belongings from Zheng Fa," he stammered, staring at the bracelet and not Shih-na. "My father told me that it was some kind of good luck charm, but I think it would be better in your hands."

Shih-na stared at the bracelet, and said, "Thank you. I'll take good care of it." She took it started to put it on, before Lang stopped her.

"I'm sorry, Shih-na, but that must be worn _under_ your gloves." He looked down when he said this, like he was ashamed to inform her.

She paused, and then shook her head. Without saying another word, she pulled off her right glove and revealed a pale, fragile-looking hand. Lang secretly watched as she slowly put the bracelet on. After the bracelet was securely around her wrist and under her glove, she looked at her superior and again said, "Thank you."

Lang replied half-heartedly, "… You're welcome." After a few seconds in awkward silence, Lang spoke up again. "Aiya… you're probably wondering why I instructed you to do that…" He finally looked up at his secretary and smirked. "The other subordinates will get jealous if they find out I gave you something so personal of mine. I hope you understand."

As Lang got up to go back to the Agency, Shih-na lagged behind him, and when he wasn't looking, she softly smiled.

* * *

The Present—Year 2019:

"M-Ms. Shih-na, are you completely fine right now?" the judge asked in surprise. "Why, I don't think I've ever had someone just plead 'guilty'…"

She sighed, and tried her hardest not to look at Lang. "If you would listen, Your Honor, you would see that you have sufficient evidence to convict me of _murder_."

Again, she held up her hand, her pale, thin fingers almost trembling. "If you would be so kind as to run a fingerprint check on my hand, you will find out something surprising."

The judge widened his eyes. "Surprising like what?"

She balled her hand into a fist out of reflex and tried to focus on anything but Lang. "Surprising like… Finding out I have the same exact fingerprints as Calisto Yew."

Lang narrowed his eyes, again thinking of the endless number of aliases Shih-na could have had. _She doesn't even remember her own name…_ he thought, scowling. He focused his intense, angry gaze at Shih-na.

"You have evidence, you say!" the judge exclaimed, his wide eyes showing his surprise. "I'd heard you were Calisto Yew, but I didn't think you'd be so willing to prove it…"

Shih-na forced a smirk on her face. "I've had a change of heart," she replied coolly.

Lang snapped, and was about ready to pounce on Shih-na. "_Shih-na, what are you doing?_" he roared as he was being held back by two bailiffs. "_Why_ are you doing this?"

Shih-na opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Before she could try to speak again, the judge banged his gavel and said with a tinge of fear in his voice, "Officer Lang, I think you should wait outside for the verdict to be announced…"

The bailiffs struggled to move Lang closer to the courtroom doors until he finally fell to his knees. "Shih-na…" he muttered in a sad growl.

"What is it?" she responded in a still cool voice. What he didn't see was the vulnerability that showed in her eyes for not more than a second.

He looked up at her, and gave her a look of defeat. "Whatever I did to deserve this treatment from you… I'm sorry." After he said this, he got up and walked out of the courtroom.

As he walked out, Shih-na widened her eyes and watched his retreating figure until her view was obscured by the large double doors.

"Now, let's proceed," the judge said, sighing.

Shih-na didn't respond, and instead stared at the wall, her mind wandering on to other things.

The judge cocked his head and scratched his beard. "Where were we…? Ah, right, your fingerprint. I shall call a forensic scientist immediately. Bailiff!"

The rest of the trial was a daze to Shih-na. The only thing she could think of was that dramatic episode Lang had before he was escorted out of the courtroom. She almost didn't hear the judge _finally _declare her guilty. She blinked at him twice, and let out a sigh.

* * *

"All right, Miss Shih-na, we'll be transporting you to the prison near here," a bailiff explained to her as he escorted her to a car.

Shih-na didn't say anything at first, but then slowly turned her head to the bailiff. Hesitantly, she opened her mouth and asked, "…How is Lang?"

The bailiff widened his eyes in surprise, and coughed awkwardly, replying, "A-actually, he's waiting for you. At the prison. He wants to speak with you… I think."

Shih-na sighed, and plopped into the seat of the car.

As she stared out the window and at the gloomy sky, her mind wandered automatically to the wise saying of Lang-Zi. Instinctively, she slowly mouthed, "Lang Zi says: The reason people judge people is because people are people. The reason people judge people…is because people…are people."

* * *

Eight—The Past—Year 2012:

Shih-na started to squint because she was so serious.

All Lang did was start to laugh.

"…May I ask what is so funny?" Shih-na said, trying to keep her voice at a monotonous, flat tone.

Lang caught his breath and smirked. "Shih-na, are you _really _having that much trouble reading Lang Zi's scrolls?"

Shih-na bit her lower lip in embarrassment. "I'm…sorry to say I haven't been reading anything in our native language since I came to America." She shuffled the scroll she had in her hand and tried to keep it away from Lang's sight.

But, nonchalantly, Lang sneaked up behind her. He snatched the scroll from her hands and held it out in front of her. "Aiya, you're never going to remember unless I help you," he joked.

Shih-na didn't laugh.

He coughed awkwardly. "Here, Shih-na, just hold the right side of the scroll as I point." She did as she was told, and felt increasingly uncomfortable—she could almost _feel _his breathing on her head, and she could smell the amazing cologne he wore every day since she worked under him.

"Okay, well…" he started, "as always, you should be able to comprehend that this first line says…"

"Lang Zi says." Shih-na answered. She half-turned toward him. "But, I just don't understand. The same characters repeat over and over again. Is it some sort of code…?"

Lang laughed again. "No, he just repeated the same thing over and over in this saying. This is one of my personal favorites, actually." He smirked. He traced over each character, translating it into English as he went. "The reason people judge people is because people are people."

"The reason people judge people…is because people are…people," Shih-na repeated, trying to memorize the wise saying.

"Good job!" Lang said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. But, before he did, he caught himself. "…Aiya. My apologies. We haven't known each other for more than a week and my familiarity with you is already so shamefully close."

Shih-na blinked a bit in surprise. "No, it's perfectly fine. Act the way you want…sir."

Lang immediately frowned. "Shih-na… 'sir' doesn't exactly _fit _with me, don't you think? Would you mind calling me something else?"

Shih-na almost started to laugh at him. _Wait, I can't do that,_ she reprimanded herself, _I'm supposed to have a mask of ice on. _Still, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to crack a subtle joke. "…What, do you want to be called 'Shifu' or something?"

Lang didn't reply. _No way_, Shih-na thought in disbelief, _is he _really _considering it?_ She stayed silent, waiting for what response she would get. "…Shih-na…" Lang started, "That is brilliant!" He started to laugh, and Shih-na almost dropped her jaw. Was he _serious_?

Shih-na wanted to clean up the mess she made, fast. "I, was kidding, si—"

"Shifu is fine…" Lang said, still grinning from ear to ear. "It's fitting, anyway." He put down the scroll they read and picked up another one. "Let's get going. We have _tons _more scrolls to go over."

As Lang fiddled with the terribly knotted string holding the scroll together, Shih-na smirked. _Well_, she thought, _this is going to be a lot more _fun _than I thought._


End file.
